England, 3 Apr 44

Dear Jean:

Do you realize that it is just four years ago since Bill & I started out on this enterprise? When I look at Mary's picture the latest one, with the pinktails, it does seen like four years, and yet in other ways,it doesn't seem nearly so long. The two weeks at home last September helped a great lot, even tho it was so brief.

So much has happened since my last, I hardly know where to begin. I clicked today, on mail, your airletter of the 25th arrived this afternoon, and the one of a week before arrived on Wednesday. Your big parcel arrived on Sat, and the contents were first class. I have quite a respectable supply of DIxie ahead now, so you can leave it out for a time or two. Took the jello spork lobster & some soup over to Morris's Sunday. You sent a small box of honey in a recent parcel, this is an excellent substitute for sugar in our coffee. If it is not hard to get, you might send some more.

I got your airletter about Mr Hall last Wed too, (the cable arrived today, after being in this country almost two weeks, so much for the army efficiency in getting urgent cables to the person concerned.

Bill's cable hadn't reached him Sat, he got Mary Rodd's airletter the Wednesday too. The news made a great change in Bill's plans, he has managed to cancell arrangements to return home, and is hoping to try to fit in here, and he can certainly do a lot of good. There is just a possibility that he and I may be working in close proximity. He came down here for the weekend, and we did some visiting Sunday to see what could be done. He is getting stronger all the time, but has a bit more time to put in hospital. It was a tough shock, but he has taken a very sensible view about his fathers death. He had been counting a lot on seeing the old man, and it was mainly that which influenced his decision to go home for a while. Tell Mary that she mustn't worry about Bill, he is quite his old self, keen to do what he can to help the Cdns in the next phase of the war, and has a lot of admirers who will do everything they can for him.

Am glad to hear you have found some china you like, and am sure I shall like it from your description. Its nice to have something definite to aim at now, and I'm all for getting good comfortable quantities of the complete line. Sounds very practical too. Will be on the qui vive now to try to see a sample of it. Never can tell, one might just run across the very thing here.

Sunday Bill and I had lunch with Col Meuser at his mess, and then went with him to his house for tea, and to see the baby, Ann Elizabeth. She is a tiny little thing, and not too strong looking, but lots of character, a dark brunette, like both parents. I have been asked to be Godfather at the christening in a couple of weeks. Quite a responsibility, however will do my best. Believe it involves teaching her the Chatechism at some later stage of life, think what a good job I could make of that.

Mary's and your pictures are fine, I think yours is a bit formal and as the Germans would say, "frissiert", but it is nice just the same, Mary's is very good, and very natural. I look at hers and wonder how many of her Dad's bad points she has managed to avoid inheriting,- I hope a lot of them anyway. I'll bet Caroline is spoiling her alright. But it is nice that she will be able to get to know Caroline now that she is old enough to remember her better. Anne Campbell's party must have been a lot of fun.

Glad you gave me all the details from Leila's letter, do hope that young Gerry will recover, and be strong again. Poor girl, she must be worried. Have been too busy to write to Bob but may get a note scratched off to him so that we might get in touch with both him and Don. Yes, I think Leila is the finest of our family.

The countryside is beginning to look interesting now, the early blossoms on the trees and this week, daffodils are out. the weather has been chilly, but dry, and today it started a nice soft rain, which will do a lot of good. It would be fine to get outdoors for a week. We are now messing with some French Canadians, the other mess having more or less dispersed. The food is distinctly better, and the chaps seem pleasant and interesting. Messing is always a problem with a small unit like mine.

The work progresses reasonable, and is always interesting. Havent' seen Axel for some time. Now must go.

LOVE to you BOTH

------Ger.